Shaker students were surprised by a snow day Jan. 22 when school was cancelled due to cold weather.
The snow day was particularly unusual because it was called during finals week, disrupting the high school exam schedule and the agendas of students and teachers alike.
“I think that [the snow day] is really needed because it’s actually really, really cold outside. So it’s not okay to have to go to school in this weather,” said senior Kaytlin Dysart. “But at the same time, with finals, now the whole week’s going to be messed up.”
English teacher Elizabeth Colquitt agreed that the unexpected day off would disturb the flow of exam week, but said she appreciated the opportunity to stagger the grading of essays her students had already turned in with the grading of exams. “It’s a little unfair to my 11 Advanced students, who were told to turn in their final exam essay by 10:00 last night or by 8:30 this morning – those students have one more day, I guess,” Colquitt wrote in an email. “But it’s lovely that I’ll have a day to get those essays graded before my exams come in!”
According to an automated message on the high school’s answering machine, the new final exam schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, Jan. 23
8:30 a.m. – English
1 p.m. – Math
Thursday, Jan. 24
8:30 a.m. – Science
1 p.m. – Makeups/Conflict
Friday, Jan. 25
8:30 a.m. – Makeups/Conflict
Shane McKeon contributed reporting.